


it's gonna be a champagne year

by sonlali



Series: Fics from Season Six [4]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s06e04 Maid of Honour, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22536406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonlali/pseuds/sonlali
Summary: alexis stops by stevie's apartment to have a chat following the events of s06e04 Maid of Honour.
Relationships: Stevie Budd & Alexis Rose
Series: Fics from Season Six [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621702
Comments: 12
Kudos: 47





	it's gonna be a champagne year

**Author's Note:**

> title from "Champagne Year" by St. Vincent

Stevie pulls on her favorite flannel shirt over her comfiest pair of jeans and breathes a sigh of relief at the feeling of normalcy. Her flight attendant uniform is laying on her bed and she reaches down to smooth out a crease in the skirt. 

Not for the first time today she wonders _What the fuck am I doing with my life?_ There’s a lump forming in her throat again, and _no_ , not again. She already sobbed all through her shower. This day has taken so much out of her and she can’t start crying again thinking about how much of a wreck her life is. Suddenly, Stevie is angry. Angry at Larry Air and angry at this stupid flight attendant uniform, but most of all she’s so fucking angry at herself. Stevie grabs the stupid pillbox hat and launches it at the wall with a shout.

Stevie is preparing to ball up the stupid skirt and throw it too when she hears a knock at her door. Actually, it’s a series of incessant taps as if a hyperactive parakeet is pecking at the door frame. Stevie stalks toward the door and flings it open, prepared to channel the day’s frustrations into shouting at whoever is on the other side, and in strides Alexis.

Alexis is already in the kitchen opening cabinet doors, and Stevie is still standing at the open door trying to process this unexpected turn of events. Alexis has never been to Stevie’s apartment before, and considering they spent most of the day together, Stevie cannot think of an explanation for why Alexis is suddenly here and pulling two glasses out of Stevie’s cabinet. 

“Okay, Stevie? I think you should probably shut the door now. On my way up I passed this guy who looked kind of sketchy. Like, _kind of_ cute but in a 40 years to life sort of way, you know?” 

Stevie shuts the door and walks to the kitchen where Alexis has left all of the cabinet doors—and inexplicably several drawers—open in her search for the tumblers. She taps a finger on the countertop by the glasses and breezes past Stevie to perch on the arm of the sofa. 

“Vodka soda for me, babe.”

“Uh, I have vodka...” Stevie pours a healthy serving of vodka in each glass, certain she’s going to need it for whatever Alexis wants. Alexis accepts her glass and drops gracefully onto a sofa cushion, patting the spot beside her in invitation. Stevie sits down hesitantly.

“So, as you know, I have been David’s life coach for years now, and I came here to share my services with you too. Because—no offense—your life is kind of a mess right now and you need me a lot.”

Stevie throws back a large gulp of vodka and sets her glass on the coffee table. Yep, definitely going to need this. Over the years, Stevie has grown accustomed to the Rose family’s antics and is even quite fond of them (most of the time), but she’s met her daily quota of Rose time today and needs a break. 

“Look, Alexis—” Stevie begins, but Alexis interrupts, her face uncharacteristically serious.

“Stevie, I understand how you’re feeling. After we got here in Schitt’s Creek, I didn’t really know what I was doing with my life either. There are obviously so many things that I know how to do, but without any money it didn’t really matter that I can negotiate in Arabic or that I know how to land a plane in a snowstorm. You know what I mean?”

Stevie really, _really_ did not.

“Because I didn’t even have a high school diploma and turns out that when you’re poor, that matters. And I felt really… lost, I guess.”

Alexis cocks her head to the side and her eyes are warm and sincere. Stevie has been teetering on the brink of tears for most of the day, and Alexis’ unexpected sincerity tips her over the edge. Stevie starts to sob, burying her face in her hands in humiliation and wishing she could dissolve into the sofa cushions. 

Alexis wraps Stevie in an embrace, and Stevie finds herself crying into Alexis’ shoulder. Alexis strokes Stevie’s hair soothingly and waits until her breathing begins to even out before speaking again. 

“But I went back to high school and got my diploma, and then I went to college and got my degree there, and now look at me! Stevie, look at me!”

Stevie pulls back and looks up at Alexis through puffy eyes. Alexis is smiling broadly and takes Stevie’s hands in hers. 

“Now I am a publicist/brand invigorator and the CEO and founder of Alexis Rose Communications, so. If I can do all of that, then you can definitely find a job at, like, an office? Or maybe a library? Something low-key like that.” 

Stevie restrains herself from rolling her eyes and lets out a watery laugh. 

“And I will be here with you every step of the way to help you be the best maid of honor you can be! I mean, I will be until the end of the month, so we don’t actually have a lot of time. Now, let’s wash off those tears—and maybe do a face mask to help with some of that oil buildup—and then we can begin Project Get Stevie’s Life Together!” Alexis claps her hands, her bracelets jangling noisily on her limp wrists. 

“Not sure how I feel about that name,” Stevie says wryly. “But um, okay, yeah.”

“Yay, Stevie, yay!” Alexis jumps to her feet and makes a shooing motion. “Go! Wash your face, and I’ll get our masks ready.”

“Uh, I don’t have any masks, though.”

“Mm, yeah, that’s obvious. That’s why I brought my own with me. Well, _technically_ I took them from David’s store, but they’re mine now. Ooh, and I took his dream wedding book too.” Alexis widens her eyes and grins mischievously. “So we can have some fun while the masks are drying.”

Stevie can’t help but smile in return, the weight of the day’s events slipping away in the presence of Alexis’ boundless confidence and positivity. She turns to head for the bathroom when Alexis calls out again.

“Um, Stevie.” Alexis steps forward and places a hand on Stevie’s arm. “I think you’re really brave to quit your job and try to find what makes you happy. And you’re _super_ smart and talented. Also, you never try to act like someone you’re not, which makes you pretty special. So I just know something really amazing is going to happen for you soon.”

Stevie is completely taken aback and has no idea how to respond. “Oh, uh, thank you, Alexis.”

Alexis smiles and blinks at Stevie, reaching out to boop the tip of her nose. “Anytime, babe.”

**Author's Note:**

> come say hi on tumblr [@landofsonlali](https://landofsonlali.tumblr.com/)!


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